Means for simultaneously feeding two wires



Feb. 9, 1954 P. M. SAMPATACOS 2,668,615

MEANS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY FEEDING TWO WIRES Filed March 23, 1951 imwmav A TTORNEY Patented Feb. 9, 1954 2;668,615 FRSIMUL'HLNEOU'SII Y- FEEDING 1 W) WIRES Peter Sampataeos, .TorringtdnjConm, assignor .150 The TTorring'ton Manufacturing igom iany, Iorrington, Conn, Ta corporation of Connecti- ApplicationMarcw/w, 1951, Serial NO. 2175209 1 '55Cl'd ms. iIhe invention relates to a.- maehine vfor simultaneously feeding ,and coiling ..two .contacting iwires havin closeiy vSimilar but slightly =var-ying idiametersto -.-form:a duplex -,coil :havingnonvolutions of uniform diameters. :In a-duplexcoilthe convolutions of :the :two Wires are disposed a1- .ternately between each other. Duplex "wire coils resemble @helieal springs, but they are ordinarily not #used .-i-as springs 'but :are particularly adapted .for-use as flexible casings ioriBowden wiresor flexible shafts or theJi-ke.

iSer-ious adifficulties have heretofore .been ennou-ntered-when attempts havebeenmadeto feed. andwcoilstwo similar :wires-simultaneouslyto form duplex coils. Thetwo wires normally have the same-diameterahut athezdiametersiare nevertheless subject to-variationseto minute-extentsirom -diameter equality. vAs :feeding rprogresses, one wire may have a diameter larger than-thatioithe other throughout a substantial .length and sub- --sequently =the-.,0ther Wire may have a diameter larger than :that of the first .wire throughout a substantial length. The wires are 1 ordinarily fed :bytone tor :more apairs of. feed rolls and when: the two feed rollsrof eachgpair have cylindrical-faces or when the-said feed .rolls have similar separate grooves for the .two wires, they! fail to apply uni- .formdriving @forces to the "wires when there is .-&nydeparture,-f-rom. exact uniformityin wire .-di- :ameters. The i-larger wire .-is.-gr ipped and properly: fed but theesmaller .wire isiess firmly gripped or .notg-ripped .-at all. The result is that :the smaller wire .is m0ved at .-a slower speed or not moved at-all. ,Hewevenexaot-uniformity-of wire .feeding speeds-is necessarylin-orderthatithe wire .convolutions'ef the duplex coil may have uniform diameters. Saidconvolutione of the coil are interengagedas :they are formedand if one wire is tied 311793, greater speed than therother. then it ,isformedwithvlargerrconvolutions.

.Qne 1 object -of the invention .is .to provide -.a mechanism for simultaneously and uniformly feeding two wires normally having equal diameters but nevertheless subject to slight 'varia- =tions= from the diameter-equality. I

Other obi ects .of th invention .will {be apparent from-the. drawingand frcmthe following descriptionand claims.

.Inther-drawing I haveshownin detail two alternative :embodimentso'f .the invention,lbut .it

will beunders'tood that .various ehangesmay be w madetirom the constructions show-n, andthatthe drawing .isnot to Ice-construed as -.defining or limitin the scope of .the vinvention, the claims :formin .a part.ofthisspecification 'being relied V .Fig. 2.-is.a:ragmentary [front .View-dfiainahine embodyin theinvention.

Fig. 3 is anr-enlarged fragmentary horizontal seetionaLvie-Wtaken along thel'linet-aidfFi'g. 2.

Fig. A is :an enlarged jiragmentary vertical. sec- ,tional viewftaken alon theline .444 ofFig. L2.

QEig. 5 is. an enlarged-fragmentary vertical sectional aiiew .takenalong the line 5T5 O'f Fig. 2.

L'Fig. '6 isa view .similarto Fig. 5 butshowin'g the @conditions which exist lwhenzthe wires 'difier in diameter.

.lFig. 7 is a .viewsimilarto Fig. 5. but showing anal'ternative construction.

"The. machineserves to simultaneouslyj feedand coil two wires-suchas iliilrand IYZa 'Sh'O'Wn' in Fig. 1. The wiresas ft'heyare-eoile'd 'fo'r'm a closely wound duplex coil whereintheisimilar convolutions Maud-15 ofitheitwo Wires Ill] and '12 "are disposed. alternately between each other.

The details of themachi'ne maybe widely Ivaried, more particular'ly asto Lthe coiling mechanism thereo'f, .but -for purposves .of illustration 1 have .shown .portions of a .machine such as disclosed in Patent No. 23191002 Jto Befrgevinet a1. Reference fisanade to said patent .for 'veiriOusfdetailsjnot'hereinfully disclosed.

The two .wires ill and T2 are in contact With .each .other and Ithey are continually fed .at uniform speeds from right .to left by feed. means to .be-described in detail, being withdrawnfr'om large coils, not,shown supportedon. Suitable reels. ,As the wiresmore .they are .guided and fate .held straight hy'the vwallss-o f grooves formed-in guide .memhers 1 8., I20. and. 22 carriedhyIthefin'ain-jframe "2d of the machine. IEhe'guide members .18 and. 210 areshown in section inFFig. ,4.

.-A short transverse ho'r'izontal coiling arbor ,25

is provided, this coiling arbor .beingoarried by the mainlframe 2 ThearborZG .is adjustableeithei' "to upper ;.posi'tio n.v or to a .lowerposition, "being shown-finits lower, .pos'ition. In the upper posiptiongthe' bottomoi fthea'rhor contacts the wires and in its .lower .position the top of the :arbor contacts ithewires.

.A coiling roll T28 is fatij'ustably carried by the mainframeizt, theroll being. supported by antifrictionlbearings' 3! 333. and being "freely rotatable about-a transverse substantially horizontal axis. :The roll 28 is aiijacent ithe coiling arbor IZBan'd .is so .;positioned (that itconst'itutes an abutment againstwhich the .wires it and 112 arefforoe'd as they are..fe.d towa'r'dthe left. Theroll 2'8 hasfa shallow {annular .groove .32 of the .proper width ,toreeeivethe..two.wires.

In the .operationo'f the.'machine, as shown, the wires in and [2 as they are "fed towardtheile'ft .pass over the .coiling arbor 26 .andengage .the ceiling roll or abutment 2 8 .Within the. groove v3,2 lthferebf, aid wires being simultaneously .cbil ii downwardly around the arbojr .276 "to lf'orm f' ai similar convolutions l4 and I6 constituting the duplex coil. Coiling may be continued to provide a duplex coil of any desired length. The diameter of the convolutions of the coil may be changed by changing the position of the roll 28 with respect to the arbor 26. As shown, the convolutions have a relatively small diameter, but this diameter can be increased by adjusting the roll 28 toward the left. With the arbor 26 below the wires right coils or convolutions are formed as shown. With the arbor 26 above the wires left coils or convolutions are formed.

Preferably a member 34 is provided for engaging and supporting the convolutions I 4 and I6 of the coil during and after forming. The member 34 is adjustable for coils of difl'erent diameters.

At least one pair of feed rolls 36 and 38 is provided for the wires l8 and [2, said rolls being rotatable about parallel axes and being secured to transverse horizontal shafts 40 and 42. Preferably, a second pair of similar feed rolls 44 and 46 is provided, said rolls being also rotatable about horizontal axes and being secured to transverse horizontal shafts 48 and 50. The rolls of each pair are so positioned that the wires and I2 extend between them and are engaged thereby. Wire guides 52 and 54 are provided at the right of the rolls 36 and 38 and wire guides 56 and 58 are provided between the rolls 36, 38 and the rolls 44, 46. By suitable mechanism, such as gearing, the four shafts 40, 42, 48 and 58 are continually rotated at uniform speeds, the upper shafts 42 and 50 being rotated in the clockwise direction and the lower shafts 48 and 43 being rotated in the counterclockwise direction.

The lower shafts 4-9 and 48 are rotatable in bearings in fixed positions on the main frame 24. The upper shafts 42 and 56 are rotatable in bearings in bearing blocks 60 and 62 which are vertically movable relatively to the main frame 24. Suitable means, such as a leaf spring 64, is provided for applying downward pressures on the blocks 68 and 62. The tension of the spring 64 can be changed by a hand wheel 66 having threaded engagement with a vertical rod 68. By reason of pressures applied to the blocks 60 and 62 and thence to the rolls 38 and 46 the wires l6 and I2 are gripped between the upper and lower rolls and are fed toward the left.

In accordance with the invention said rolls 36 and 38 of one pair are rotatable about parallel transverse axes located at opposite sides of a longitudinal plane through the transversely spaced centers of the wires or of the paths of wire feeding, being shown as above and below said plane. Each of said rolls has two transversely spaced continuous annular zones shaped for point engagements with the corresponding wires in said paths and each of said rolls is otherwise spaced from the wires so as to permit lateral shifting of the wires as explained below. The annular wire engaging zones on the two rolls are arranged in pairs at opposite sides of a longitudinal central plane between the paths of the two wires, this plane being indicated at AA in Fig. 5. The two zones of each pair at their points of wire engagement are tangent respectively to two longitudinal planes which diverge transversely toward said central longitudinal plane AA. 7

As shown in Fig. the annular wire engaging zones of the upper roll 38 are indicated by the arrows a and b and the annular wire engaging zones of the lower roll 36 are indicated by the arrows c and d. As shown, the upper roll 38 has a cylindrical surface 12 and the annular wire engaging zones are included in the said surface, being tangent to a longitudinal plane B-B. As shown, the lower roll 36 has an annular relatively shallow wire receiving groove 18 the surface of which is continuously concave, with its greatest depth at said central plane AA. The annular wire engaging zones indicated by the arrows c and d are included in the surface of the groove 18 and these zones are tangent respectively to longitudinal planes C0 and DD. It will be seen that the planes 3-3 and C--C diverge toward the right and toward the central longitudinal plane AA. Similarly the planes 3-3 and DD diverge toward the left and also toward the central longitudinal plane AA. As shown in Fig. 5, the planes C0 and DD are symmetrically disposed and the divergence is the same at the two sides.

When the two rolls have the specific shapes shown, the wire receiving space at the bite be tween them is deepest at the central plane AA. The width of the groove 10 is such that both wires can be partly entered therein simultaneously. The depth of the groove is such that the wires can simultaneously engage not only the wall of the groove but also the cylindrical face 12 of the roll 38. When engaged with the wires, the two rolls are spaced apart as shown. Inasmuch as the upper roll 38 is pressed downwardly by the spring 64, the wires are gripped between the two rolls and are fed toward the left as previously stated.

The rolls 44 and 46 are or may be in all respec-ts similar to the rolls 36 and'38 and they engage and feed the wires in the same manner.

With the wire engaging zones at a, b, c and 11 positioned as described, and more particularly as shown in Fig. 5, it will first be assumed that the wires Ill and I2 have exactly equal diameters. Equal downward pressures are applied to the two wires at the wire engaging zones at and b. By reason of the inclination or divergence of the planes CC and DD the pressures against the wires at the zones 0 and d are in oppositely inclined directions as indicated, and in the example shown the said pressures are equal. The pressures at c and d have vertical components e and ,1 equal to the vertical pressures at a and b and said pressures at c and d have equal and opposite transverse components g and h which tend respectively to move the wire I!) toward the right and to move the wire [2 toward the left. Inasmuch as the two transverse components g and h are equal, the two wires are symmetrically positioned with respect to the plane AA and to the zones 0 and (1.

Still referring to Fig. 5, it will be assumed that the wire [8 is slightly smaller than the wire [2 but that the wires are nevertheless in the positions shown. The pressures at a and c are greatly reduced or perhaps eliminated. The transverse component it of the pressure at d becomes greater than the transverse component y, if any, of the pressure at c. If the wires did not shift transversely, little or no feeding force would be wires are free to shift transversely as stated. It will be understood that the difference in wire diameters is greatly exaggerated in Fig. 6 in order that the action may be more readily apparent.

With the wires in the positions shown in Fig. 6, the directions of the pressures at c and d are different from those of the pressures at c and d in Fig. 5, and a condition of equilibrium is established wherein the pressures at c and d are such that their opposed transverse components 9' and h are equal. By reason of their differing directions, the total pressure at d is greater than the total pressure at c' and the vertical component 1" is greater than the vertical component 2. The pressures at a and b are necessarily equal respectively to the vertical components e and f. The total of the pressures at a and b is equal to the total of the pressures at a and b, inasmuch as the total of the pressures in each instance is the same as the downward pressure applied by the spring 64.

From the foregoing explanation it will be apparent that pressures are applied to the smaller wire l which serve to feed it at the same speed as the larger wire I2. The pressures applied to the smaller wire [0 are somewhat less than those applied to the larger wire [2 but they are nevertheless ample.

It has been assumed that the wire i0 is smaller than the wire I2. When the wire I2 is smaller than the wire 10, the result is the same except that the Wires shift toward the right instead of toward the left. During the feeding of long lengths of wires, said wires may alternately shift toward the left or toward the right as the wires relatively vary in diameter. Ordinarily, the differences in diameter are very small and the wires shift to only very small extents.

Fig. 7 shows an alternative construction wherein the rolls 36 and 38 are replaced by rolls l4 and 16 respectively having annular grooves 18 and 80 similar to the groove 10 in the lower wall 36. The grooves 18 and 80 are somewhat shallower than the groove 10. In this alternative construction, the wire engaging zones of the upper roll 16 are tangent respectively to longitudinal planes E--E and F-F and the wire engaging zones of the lower roll 14 are tangent respectively to longitudinal planes G-G and I-L-H. It will be seen that the planes E--E and G-G diverge toward the right and toward the central longitudinal plane AA and that the planes F--F and HH diverge toward the left and toward the said central plane AA. Considered specifically, this alternative construction is similar to the before-described construction in that the two rolls l4 and 16 are so shaped in transverse section that the wire receiving space at the bite between them is deepest at a central plane such as AA perpendicular to the axes of roll rotation, said space continuously decreasing in depth in both directions from said central plane. The two wires [0 and 12 are shown as having the same diameters. When the wire I0 is smaller than the wire l2, the two wires shift toward the left, the result being similar to that explained in detail in connection with Figs. and 6. When the wire I2 is smaller than the wire [0, the two wires shift toward the right with a smiliar result.

The invention claimed is:

1. A mechanism for longitudinally feeding two separate straight contacting wires in two parallel paths which wires normally have equal diameters but are subject to slight variations from diameter equality, said mechanism comprising in combination, two companion rolls rotatable about parallel transverse axes located at opposite sides of a longitudinal plane through the centers of the paths of the wires to be fed and having continuous annular surfaces which include two transversely spaced continuous annular zones on each roll shaped for point engagements with the corre' sponding wires in said paths and said annular surfaces of said rolls being otherwise spaced from the wires, said zones of said annular surfaces on the two rolls being arranged in pairs at opposite sides of a longitudinal central plane which is perpendicular to the first said plane and is between the paths of the two wires and said annular surfaces being so shaped that said two zones of each pair at their points of wire engagement are tangent respectively to two longitudinal planes which diverge transversely toward said central longitudinal plane, means connected with at least one of the rolls for applying power to rotate them in opposite directions, and means for pressing one of the rolls toward the other to cause them to grip two wires in said paths and to press said wires against each other and to shift them transversely to slight extents in accordance with any slight variations from diameter equality so as to thus effect simultaneous and uniform feeding.

2. A mechanism as set forth in claim 1, where in said annular surfaces of the two rolls are so shaped that said transversely spaced annular wire engaging zones of the two pairs are tangent respectively to two longitudinal planes which diverge to uniform extents.

3. A mechanism as set forth in claim 1, wherein one roll has a cylindrical surface which includes said transversely spaced annular wire engaging zones of said roll, and wherein the other roll has an annular groove which is continuously concave in transverse section with said oppositely inclined transversely spaced annular wire engaging zones of the roll included in surface of the said groove.

4. A mechanism as set forth in claim 1, wherein said annular surfaces of the two rolls are so shaped that said transversely spaced annular wire engaging zones of each roll are tangent to longitudinal planes which oppositely diverge from said longitudinal plane through the centers of the paths of the wires and toward said longitudinal central plane.

5. A mechanism as set forth in claim 3, wherein each roll has an annular groove which is continuously concave in transverse section with said transversely spaced annular wire engaging zones of the roll included in surface of the said groove.

PETER M. SAMPATACOS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 332,525 Hill Dec. 15, 1885 357,342 Seymour Feb. 8, 1887 1,319,974 Sleeper Oct. 28, 1919 2,083,309 Applegate June 8, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 25,887 Great Britain Nov. 25, 1902 20,307 Great Britain Sept. 28, 1908 458,124 Germany Apr. 10, 1928 604,308 Germany Oct. 18, 1934 

